Self-serving store



July 10, 1923- L. N. ANDERSON SELF SERVING STORE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb 14 1921 SUPPLY ROOM CHEEKERs HECKERs STAN o ENTRANCE 35 i 2 July 1c 1923- N. ANDERSON SELF SERVING STORE Filed Feb. 14. 1921 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 Fatented an 1c, 1923.

SELF-SERVING STORE.

Application filed February 14;, 1921. Serial No. 444,687.

T 0 (J1 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZO Nonwoon Anmznsox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hawkinsville in the county of Pulaski and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Serving Stores. of which the -following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-serving stores so constructed that the customers, in passing through the store. are compelled to follow a definite path and select from the various shelves and bins the goods which they desire to purchase, and the object of my invention is to provide means, in such a store. for displaying a maximum quantity of goods to the best advantage, and to provide means whereby the checkers or attendants oi the store may at all times have the shelves and bins in view and may keep watch of the customers astheypass through the store. Other objects of my invention are to economize space without limiting the display of goods or the paths traversed by the customers from one part of the store to the other.'

In carrying out my invention I provide a store front with glass windows arranged in front of display shelves for difierent kinds of goods, and in the middle of the front wall I provide an entrance having doors opening into a lobby screened on opposite sides and having at itsinncr endgates opening into the store proper and arranged in front of basket bins or shelves, which latter are located immediately in front of checkers stands or desks which are arranged in front of an aisle running crosswise of the store on the opposite side of which is a checkers stand located at the front end of two rows of shelves between which there is a space for the clerks and at the rear end of which is provided an ice-box or similar receptacle. The side walls of the lobby on the inside of the store are provided with shelves and bins, and shelves and bins are provided on the side walls of the front portion of the store on opposite sides of the lobby. These shelves and bins connect on each side with a row of zig-zag shelves extending to the rear part of'the store. These zig-zag shelves are an important feature of my invention as in this way the area of the shelves in a given length of store space is materially increased and the arrangement is doors for closing it. In this we also such that they are brought within the vision of the oheclrers at difierent parts of the store. There is a supply or storage room in the back part of the store having a lar e quantity of goods may be 'displaye not only to the customers as they pass through the a store but to the checkers who watch the customers while inspecting and carrying away the goods and purchasers cannot leave the store without passing through a gate guarded by checkers.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a self-serving store embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 shows a section on the line 2-2 of. Figure 1. i

Figure 3 shows a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the same figure.

F igure'5 is a detail view of a part of the shelving. l v

The store as a whole is contained within the area bounded by the walls 1, 2, 3, 4. The front wall is provided with plate glass windows A. in rear of which, within the store, are display shelves or bins (1, these shelves or bins being divided as indicated at a sothat shelves (1 are provided on the inside in order that customers may obtain goods from them. The front doors B open into a narrow lobby C on opposite sides of which there are low panelled walls 0 over which are arranged screens 0' extending to a height some distance from the parts 0. These screens prevent customers from reaching over'into the interior of the store while passing through the lobby. Inside the wallsot the lobby there are shelves D for display of goods. The screens 0 may be'braced by cross bars 0 Basket bins E, E are arranged in rear of the lobby and between these bins and the rear ends of the walls 0 are mounted turnstile gates F, F opening in one direction, that is, inwards only. These gates are located in front of checkers stands G, G. The side walls 2 and 4 at the front of the store on opposite sides of the lobby are provided with shelves H and bins h and each row of shelves communicates with a'zig-zag row of shelves K, K extending to the rear portion of the store. Each set of shelves K, K connects at its rear end with shelves L and the shelves L connect with diagonally arranged shelves 210 the line or a 7 Mhaving a door N opening into a supply l room 0. The shelves and bins may be of any desired construction and may be equipped with wire netting P, when desired, for ventilating purposes.

As shown in Fig. 5 the shelves at Ii are not as high at K leaving an opening with storage spaces K -Between the back door N and the cheekers stands G, G there are longitudinally arranged shelves or bins Q spaced apart and connected at the rear by a receptacle R which ma serve as an ice-box or refrigerator; In rent of the shelves Q there is a checkers stand S, provided with shelves S, entrance ports T being provided, as shown, closed by chains or ropes if.

It will be observed that the checkers stands (1 G and the basket stands are separated so as to provide a passageway U leading out to the lobby. A turnstile gate E is located between the bins E. E, opening, outwards only, so that customers in leaving the store are compelled to pass between the checkers G, G. A portion of the basket bin E is covered, as shown, so that customers cannot take baskets when ltavin; the store and the turnstile or gate E is also covered, as shown, so that customers are compelled to turn the gate in one direction only.

Customers passing the store can observe goods attractively displayed in the shelves or bins in rear of the glass panels A. W hen they enter the store they are compelled. to pass in one direction or the other through the gates F, F and can be seen by the checkers located at G or G. They can supply themselves with baskets and then enter the compartments W where some of the goods are displayed and where they can obtain such goods, so displayed, as they desire. They can then pass rearwards and inspect and obtain goods from the shelves K, L and M and also from the ice-box R- or from the shelves or bins Q ant S". Having thus passed through the store and obtained supplies of goods they cannot leave Without passing through the narrow passage ll close to the checkers and then out through the gate E. If they can enter the store through the gates E,-F they cannot leave Without passing again through the passage U and gate E Not only is a large area provided for the display of goods, but the customers can be watched closely by the checkers. For in stance, the checkers at G and G can at all times, or Whenever desired, Watch customers when in the compartments Vt". When the customers pass into the rear portion of the store the checker at G orG can Watch them andcan also see mostof the shelf space in the row ofshelves K. The checker at G, looking diagonally across the store, can see practically all of the shelf space K on one side. At any rate, he can see the customer as he passes into any of the spaces bounded by the zigzag row of shelves. Both checkers at G, (i' can have the shelves L and M' at all times in full view'. In like manner the (llQCkQI'S at S can readily watch the customers in the compartments W and can also watch the collection of goods by the customers when passing the ziz-zag shelves and the other shelves at the rear of the store.

' It will be understood that cash registers, weighing: ales and the like may be suitably located; such devices are indicated at (i in the drawings. It will also be. understood that some features of the invention may be used without the others and that such devices as are often employed in such stores may be added.

I claim as my invention:

1. A self-serving store having a glass front with display shelves in rear thereof, and provided with a lobby bounded by side walls having screens above them and shelves on the inner sides within the store below the screens, shelves on the front and side walls of the front part of the store upon opposite sides of the lobby. shelves in the rear portion of the store, clua-kers stands in rear of the lobby facing the shelves in the store on opposite sides of the lobby and accessible from opposite sides of the store, and entrance and exit gates from the lobby to the opposite sides of the store and from the store to the lobby between the checkers stands.

2. A self-serving store having at the front a lobby and-having within it shelf spaces on opposite sides of the lobby within the store, checkers stands in rear of the lobby facing the shelves in the front part of the store and having an exit aisle between the checkers stands, an exit gate controlling said aisle. entrance grates controlling passage-ways between the lobby and the opposite sides of the store, shelves arranged in zig-zag' fashion on opposite sides in' the middle part of the store extending from front to rear thereof within view of the checkers, and counters extending centrally from a point adjacent the checkers stands throughout the greater portion of the length of the store room and having an aisle formed therebctwcen, said counters thereby providing passageways along; the zia-zagged shelves.

3. A self-serving store having at the front a lobby and at its front portion shelves on opposite sides of the lobby. shelves arranged in zig-zarr fashion running along the side walls of the store from front to rear thereof, entrance and exit gate tor the lobby, checkers stands adjacent said gates but in rear thereof. shelves arranged in the middle portion of the rear part f the store, and another checkcrs stand arranged heseeseee iweensaicl last-mentioned shelves enci the first-mentioned checkers, ssidi checkers ste'ncis being eceessible from either side of the store.

1. store having from, side and rear Wells, the from, having transparent portions therein, so entrance mil exii; centrally 1oeeied in she, front well, a lobby with which the entrance communicates formed between ,pei'ellelly extending partitions which extenci longitudinally into the store, a checkere department at the end of the lobby and in the store, :2, ssiesroom enclosed by shelves,

, which selesroom ezztemis in the front of the *pee bmeni X store at each side of those partitions Which form she lob by one Way pesssges at each side of the lobby and adjacent the-checkers (lepsrtmeiie and pemiitting entrance to the ssieeroom only, en exit from the selesroom eeraosising an aisle exseneiing tiirou h the eheikei's department end terminatingin eeicl lobby befmeen she entrance passages,-

eiicl lsviiig peeiniiting of exit; only from the sales room seid exii aisle being so} cessibie from eifaliee Sli'ifi of iiieseles defie ujfi ifil 'llillvlfig frees, sirle 'eml seer veils, the lions hevlngirensparezii, portions nereie, a passageway in the from weli forming s combined entrance and; exit, 2

lobby with which the pessegewo eoinmunicetes formed between penile partitions which extend; longitudinally into the store, :1 checkers department at the end of the lobby and in the storms selesroom enclosed permitting of exieonly from the selesroom,

said exit aisle being accessible from either side of the salesroom, the sheivesei: the from; of the sa'lesroom exiendingelozi :iihe trailspere'nt frog 1i (if-the store end sizing dispiey shelves next eosfioiners and having otli ei' shelves in the rear of she display shelves-end in the sales department from which a. eusiomer may seieei: goods, peiisof said sslesroom being visible to poisons e5: she cliecg stand. 7

In testimony whereof, I have 'liereunto department end per-' the from; inaeeessibie to 1 

